Matusz to work out with Brady

[scOtt]

I know a lot of folks that are in favor of low weight, high repetition training.

*raises hand*

[scOtt]

It's the part in bold that makes this come off the wrong way. He could have left it at "they wanted to change things"...."to better my time to the plate", or "get better movement on my pitches", but what he decided to say was "... things I've done my whole life". Intended or not, it comes off as blame. It says "I've never failed before. It's their fault."

Then he wraps it up with a similar quote. "Right now, I'm trying to find myself, getting back to what has made me successful through my entire life." Curious to know what that means exactly... and I hope he's not counting 2011 as his "entire life". Has Adair decided to abandon the plan he and Conner had last year? Is Matusz doing this on his own?

I have hope that he can return to 2010 form. I do think he has a good head on his shoulders and has learned a lot from this past season. I heard Palmer talk about it numerous times last year and I think it's a very valid point. Many of these guys never experience failure when they're young. They breeze through high school, college, and some even through the minors, never failing at any stop. They don't put a lot of work in the offseason because they believe they're God's gift to baseball.

In the end, it seemed like the perfect storm of being ill-prepared on his part, a bad game plan from Conner/ Adair, and an injury he never got to fully recover from. Hopefully, come ST, we can put this behind us and count on Matusz as part of the long term plan.

To me it comes off as deserved blame. After the amazing finish to 2010, and the mountains of hope he (we all) had for 2011, they wanted to change things he had done for ten years or more, that got him to that point. That's needless tinkering in my book. Mindlessly sticking to a set philosophy, instead of working with an individual pitcher. Pitching coach by rote.

[LookinUp]

I do not have any stats to back up the small sample of following just our minors and majors players.

This is my hesitation as well. However, in addition to the anecdotal stuff that only a fan can bring to the table, I feel like when you look at our guys, they're not as strong as other teams. Brandon Snyder, Matt Weiters, Jones and Nolan Reimold (even though he has a powerful build and swing) are good examples, IMO. Brian Roberts, who was very fit, is an exception. I look at guys like Brett Gardner and definitely notice the physial difference, even though he's still the same type of player that he was before, only better (not a power hitter, still a good defender).

[Can_of_corn]

This is my hesitation as well. However, in addition to the anecdotal stuff that only a fan can bring to the table, I feel like when you look at our guys, they're not as strong as other teams. Brandon Snyder, Matt Weiters, Jones and Nolan Reimold (even though he has a powerful build and swing) are good examples, IMO. Brian Roberts, who was very fit, is an exception. I look at guys like Brett Gardner and definitely notice the physial difference, even though he's still the same type of player that he was before, only better (not a power hitter, still a good defender).

I have to admit I can not tell if this post is serious or not. I thought it was until you mentioned Roberts now I am thinking it is not.

If it is a joke, well done, if it is serious, then I disagree with the assertion that players like Wieters and Reimold lack strength.

[JayThomas]

I remember the one year an inordinate amount of oblique injuries. Then another year an inordinate amount of shoulder (labrum) vs. elbow injuries in the minors and majors with pitchers. Could be a pure coincidence thing or a sign of systemic failure. I will let you make your own opinions. I have mine, but no proof, so I don't want to disparage anybody in the field I work in without first hand knowledge or proof. I would be willing to bet we are not in the top 50% of baseball with our strength and conditioning program system wide. I am hopeful that DD is going to change this and we will notice less % of injuries and better physically prepared players. Being that baseball is such a long season and the throwing motion is so difficult on numerous aspects of the body, injuries are a given. Maybe because I follow the Orioles so closely it seems so much worse with their minors. I do not have any stats to back up the small sample of following just our minors and majors players.

This has been one of my pet issues for years, starting with Hobgood's first offseason. I remember asking the board whether or not he was put on a specific program and how that program was monitored. He came in overweight and out of shape, of course.

This year seemed like the year of the hammy, what with Mummey and Townsend essentially punting the seasons.

Gracious, get all of these guys to Brady.

[LookinUp]

I have to admit I can not tell if this post is serious or not. I thought it was until you mentioned Roberts now I am thinking it is not.

If it is a joke, well done, if it is serious, then I disagree with the assertion that players like Wieters and Reimold lack strength.

Typo aside, it was not a joke.

Reimold and Wieters are both naturally pretty strong guys, but neither is at or near their physical peak, IMO. Sure, they're probably stronger than a guy like Roberts, but Roberts was a workout warrior in the offseason and gets more out of his physical ability than the latter two, IMO. I actually don't think it's close. This is why I brought up Brett Gardner. Compare him to a guy like Matt Angle. They're similar types of players (generally), however Gardner is about as fit as a player can be and Angle looks like he's never hit the weight room in his life. I don't know what type of player Angle could be, but I see his upside as a Gardner type of guy, but he'll never get there if he doesn't get stronger, IMO.

Also, see that pic of Snyder, Reimold, Arrieta and someone else on the beach a couple of years ago. Arrieta is very fit. The others still looked like kids. It's not like they're fat or flat out weak. That's not what I'm saying. They certainly look better on a beach than me. They're just not nearly as strong as they could be. For a player like Reimold or Snyder, that should be a major point of emphasis.

Reimold and Wieters are more like Cal Ripken, IMO, but not even to his standard. Even though Cal wasn't a weight room guy, he clearly put in a ton of time playing basketball and generally staying fit. Reimold and Wieters are naturally big guys with strength, but it's not maximized.

Note: if anyone wants to point out that Wieters would potentially sacrifice a big part of his game defensively by getting too strong, I'll go ahead and agree in advance. I do think he could tone up and reduce the body fat a bit, but this discussion is more about the O's organization in general than about a couple of players.

[Can_of_corn]

I was hoping you were making a subtle PED joke .

I think Wieters has come a long way in the last couple of season physically. I also think Reimold is very strong for his frame.

[LookinUp]

I was hoping you were making a subtle PED joke .

I think Wieters has come a long way in the last couple of season physically. I also think Reimold is very strong for his frame.

Fair enough. We can agree to disagree. Reimold, in particular, looks to have a great frame for adding more muscle to me. Wieters is a little better than he was, for sure. I still think he has a ways to go though. I think he could burn some fat and add some muscle, without getting too bulky to continue to play catcher. In fact, I'd wager that it would help him over the course of a season.

[weams]

I was hoping you were making a subtle PED joke .

I think Wieters has come a long way in the last couple of season physically. I also think Reimold is very strong for his frame.

He should have been.

And Wieters and Reimold are no ninnys.

[Can_of_corn]

Fair enough. We can agree to disagree. Reimold, in particular, looks to have a great frame for adding more muscle to me. Wieters is a little better than he was, for sure. I still think he has a ways to go though. I think he could burn some fat and add some muscle, without getting too bulky to continue to play catcher. In fact, I'd wager that it would help him over the course of a season.

A lot of folks said that about Jones a few seasons ago.

His range never recovered.

[CA-ORIOLE]

A lot of folks said that about Jones a few seasons ago.

His range never recovered.

Definitely a good point. He's certainly bulked up.

[Frobby]

I am not too worried about Wieters or Reimold needing to add strength. But I think LookingUp has a point that our players don't seem to add muscle the way a lot of Yankees and Red Sox players do. Look at Youkilis five years ago and now, or Ellsbury a few years ago and now, or Garnder, or Cano, or Damon when he was on those teams. I'd love to see Markakis and some others get stronger.

[LookinUp]

A lot of folks said that about Jones a few seasons ago.

His range never recovered.

Reimold's defensive deficiencies are already very apparent. His speed is an asset, but mostly on the basepaths. His routes and approach to balls in the outfield take away the value of his speed. Having watched him in the field for a few years now, I view him as a DH and only occasionally an outfielder.

[LookinUp]

I am not too worried about Wieters or Reimold needing to add strength.

I know a lot of folks are disagreeing with me, so I'll let it drop after I make this point.

My opinion of Reimold and Wieters is not an opinion about where they are relative to other players, like Markakis (great example, BTW). It's an opinion about where I think they could be relative to where they are now. Both clearly have more power than guys like Markakis, but that doesn't mean they're hitting their physical peak.

[CA-ORIOLE]

Reimold's defensive deficiencies are already very apparent. His speed is an asset, but mostly on the basepaths. His routes and approach to balls in the outfield take away the value of his speed. Having watched him in the field for a few years now, I view him as a DH and only occasionally an outfielder.

I generally agree with this assessment. That said, having speed (and a decent arm) as basic skills, don't you think those other skills can be improved on? He seemed (anectodely and statistically) much improved last year in the field.